580
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
the tfxtiu receptut, or the model from which all subsequent impressions have been taken.
16^. The first work printed in the Isle of Man was a small tract, in Manks and English, entitled the Principles and Dutiet of Christianity. It was printed at the expense and under the immediate inspection of the venerable bishop Wilson.* In his latter days, he procured a trans- lation of the gospel of St. Matthew into Manks, which was also printed at his own expense, and extensively circulated throughout the country. He also got the gospels of St Mark, St. Luke, and St. John, and the Acts of the Apostles, translated into the same tongue, but did not lire to see them printed.
1699. Hittoria Histrionica. An Historicall Account of the English Stage, shewing the ancient use, improvement, and perfection of dramatick representations in this nation, in a dialogue of plays and players. H<bc olim me- ministe juvabit. London : Printed by G. Croom, for William Hawe, at the Rose in Ludgate- street. Thirty-two pages, containing a preface of four pages.
James Wright was one of the earliest histo- rians of the English stage, and perhaps one of the first collectors of old plays after Cartwright, whose collection was at Dulwich. He was the author of this very scarce and raluable little piece; of the original edition of which Mr. Warton says, he never saw but one copy. It was first brought forward by Oldys, who quoted it in his life of Alleyn, the player, in the Bio- graphia Britannica, naving abstracted it in his British Librarian, p. 62. By the 'recommend- ation of bishop Warburton, it was prefixed, in 1774, to Dodslerfs Old Plays, and repeated in Mr. Reed's accurate and improved edition of that collection. But the preface should have been reprinted, of which the following is a specimen : — " Old plays will always be read by the curious, if it were only to discover the man- ners and behaviour of several ages, and how they altered. For plays are exactly like portraits drawn in the garb and fashion of the time when painted. You see one habit in the time of king Charles the First ; another, quite different from that, both for men and women, in queen Elizabeth's time; another under Henry the Eighth different from both ; and so backward, all various. And in the several fashions of be- haviour and conversation, there is as much mutability, as in that of clothes. Religion and religious matters were once as much the mode in publick entertainments, as the contrary has been in some times since."
To the list of his works specified in Watts' Bibliotheca Britannica, may be added the fol- lowing three poems of St. Paul's cathedral, viz., —The Ruins, The Rebuilding, TheChoire, 1697.
- Thomas Wilson, D.D., bishop of Sodor Knd Man, was
bom at Burton Wirral. Dec so, 1M3. He was a most ex- cellent prelate and eminent writer in theologr. His works, in two vols, folio, consist of reli^ous tracts and sermons, with a short Hutory nf the Ule ^ tlan. He died March 7, I63S.— See Stowell's Life of Bithap Wilton, gvo.
Wright was a skilful antiquary, and possessed many rare and valuable old manuscripts, some of which he cites in his Historia Hittrionict, and undoubtedly many old plays. But all his literary curiosities, among wnich was an excel- lent transcript of Leland's Itinerary, of the age of queen Elizabeth, and consequently prior to those now existing, which are replete witn muti- lations and corrections, was unfortunatelr con- sumed by a fire that occurred in the Middle Temple, where he occupied chambers, in 1 696.
1699, Jan. The History of the Works of the Learned, or an Impartial Account of Books lately printed in all parts of Europe; with a par- ticular Relation of the State of Learning in each Country; done bv several Hands. No. 1.
The authors of the History of the Works of the Leamedhave settled a correspondence beyond sea, to have all the foreign.joumals of learning transmitted to them as they are published, and all other curious pieces that can be conveyed by post; and for larger volumes, they shall give such account of them as is transmitted by foreign journals. As to books printed in London, or in either of the universities, unless trifling, shall, as speedily as they can, give an impartial account of tiiem, and, as far as may be in the author's own terms: and that not as critics, but histo- rians, unless in matters relating to an innovation in our established religion and civil constitution. They shall observe a medium betwixt tedious extracts and superficial catalogues ; at the end insert an account of books in the press here and beyond sea ; and if any gentleman will commu- nicate to the booksellers concerned an extract of his own work, &c. it shall be faithfully published.
1699, Feb. 17. The Protestant Mercury. No. 344. This paper coming out only on Wednesdays and Fridays, and no other paper coming out on those days, it is near as much read as all the other three papers ; and therefore very proper to put advertisements in. J. Dawks.
1699, June 8. Mr. Jacob Tonson, by direc- tion of the Rev. Mr. Jonathan Swift (to whom Sir William Temple* left the care of his writ- ings] gives notice, that with all convenient speed will be published, by the said Mr. Swift, a col- lection of letters, from the year 1665 to 1672, written by sir William Temple, baronet, contain- ing a complete history of those times, both at home and aoroad ; which letters were all reviewed bv the author some time before his death, and digested into method by his order.
1699, March 2. The Edinburgh Gazette, printed by James Watson. No. 1. Author of the History of Printing, and for several years the great news-monger of Scotland, as Butter had been during a prior age. In 1699, after having published forty-one numbers, he transferred the Edinburgh Gazette to John Raid.
- Sir William Temple was an eminent Encliali states-
man and political and miscellaneous writer. He was one of the few eminent men of his time who p re s e i Ted both public and private virtue. His works have been fTeqaeottj printed, and are still admired. He was born in isis, tat died in IS99.
